!!!!! Pr Credits To Draconis Von BloodTrap & Dragonofsomesort Who Constantly Help With SR chapters, Please take the time to rep them for their work :)
This chapter is sponsored by Spectral Regalias Generous donors, Tobias Klauke, Daniel Opfer, Jordan Uselman. Thank you for supporting SR!
In regards to the chapter a little authors note will be put at the end to answer a potential question someone may have for it. the poll choices btw are quite obvious but i will wait a bit longer until it ends in 2 days before i start the Artwork Commission.
Speaking of which, for those who dont know where to find the thread for the artwork, it is listed on the the chapter list and simply titled Artwork, but http://royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=6804 is the link, simply scroll down and open the spoiler to find the char/object you want to see.
EDIT: Changed Neptune to Mercury, thankfully i have you guys to remind me that neptune does not have a solid surface :3
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Avrin’s face was expressionless, not a hint of a smile or anger, no sadness or confusion. Instead, blood was seeping out from his eyes and trailing down his cheeks. The color of this blood was not red, and not blue. The color of this blood was orange. A bright, deep orange. The two small streams ran down his cheeks, around his nose and through the sides of his lips. Avrin felt his organs violently shake. His particles all seemed to stir crazily. He didn't care about that.
Even if he was stabbed through the heart he would show no interest. He was lost in thought, gazing at the face of the elderly man that was his grandfather, burning that image into his memory. Not once did he blink. He was carefully engraving every minor detail, from the nose to the hair, the eyes, the ears, his complexion. Every mark, everything noticeable. This was the person he would try his best to kill.
Avrin’s hair began to tremble and float as it was no longer weighed down. His skin began to shift and change from his augmented form to a transparent, faint image that was not discernible just yet. Each strand of his long, silvery grey hair split apart from each other. At the tips of these strands the space suddenly twisted and seemed to tear open, forming minor rips in space that the tips barely passed through.
God glanced with curiosity before speaking. “You amaze me again.... I didn’t think you would discover Orange Frenzied Matter as well as Dimensional Spiking until you became a High Deity. I owe you another favor, heh. I really need to stop underestimating you, though you need to relax. Frenzied matter isn’t exactly one of the kind types.” God pointed his index finger towards Avrin. The finger shot a faint white light that entered Avrin’s chest.
Avrin felt a surge of warmth, as if his anger and deep desire for revenge had instantly been sealed. He snapped back to reality and the orange blood dissipated into nothingness. Though, within Avrin’s dark core, just as the Green matter had formed, a strand of Orange matter had been present and fed off of Avrin’s rage, thickening. That was, until God sealed his anger. The strand thinned out and soon the dark matter core pulsed like a heart and the orange strand was absorbed, much like the Green matter before it.
Avrin wiped the now red blood from his face and glanced over at God. He was about to speak, before he felt God was giving a serious look and then spoke. “Not all good things end well, but that isn’t to say that they never will. For young Ashi, who was inwardly mourning the loss of his wife, had to think quick to save his young son Avrin, and he had the perfect plan to do so.”
Ashi glanced at the empty space that had been occupied by Falania. He then looked to baby Avrin, who had been sobbing, but had now gone quiet as he was being held by his father. Ashi smiled and felt he knew what he needed to do. “Father....you have betrayed the kindness of your son....you have made me suffer and killed the one I love.
By my existence, I will not let you kill my son and will certainly have justice!” Ashi suddenly opened his hand and qi began to reform and shape into an object. Avrin of course, seeing this object, knew exactly what it was. It was one of the small boxes that God had given him a choice to pick from.
Ashi’s father felt his body quiver as a nervous look showed on his face. “A...Ashi....you don’t.... No, you can’t! Do you know how many years we have waited..? Please, do not-” Just as how Falania and Ashi were interrupted, Ashi stopped his father with a determined shout.
“I INVOKE THE CYCLE OF REINCARNATION!” The box he held in his hand suddenly emitted a large pulse, and it engulfed him and his son before they both vanished. Ashi’s father was left stunned as he shouted out in anger: “NOOOOOOOO!!”
He smashed both his fists down with all his might and qi infused into one attack as it hit the surface of Mercury, causing a wave to shoot across it. The entire planet was engulfed in this strength and instantly blew opposite the direction of his fists, turning into ash and debris, the strength being so much so that not even an explosion of the core was present.
Suddenly, the “book” shut and God turned around to look at Avrin. Avrin blinked, as he felt a presence. He turned and looked behind him before his heart quivered. He saw his father and baby self on the very platform he was on, as if they were transported here.
“Fath-” Avrin couldn’t bring himself to say these words. He wanted to call to his father. He had never known his parents, and the sudden story told to him by God had turned into something strange and unforgettable. Though God walked past Avrin before speaking. “Don't bother.... He can’t hear, see or feel you… Just enjoy the rest of the story. I’m not just a narrator in this, after all.”
God looked over Ashi and the young baby Avrin before speaking. “The Cycle of Reincarnation has been invoked, who is it that will journey to be an Inheritor.” God’s voice was solemn, without any emotion, as if he knew what to say and had done this millions of times.
Ashi looked over. Seeing God, he felt his soul shudder. He had seen this infinite being once before. “Mighty Creator.... Please, I beg of you.... No cycle of reincarnation is needed, yet....my....my son.... Please let him lead a prosperous life. Let him lead his human life with no interference. When he passes away....I beg you to revive him as an Inheritor....and protect him and guide him until he reaches True Godhood.... Then show him...show him the truth. The Truth of his new existence.”
Avrin felt his heart stir. He gave a look of complex feelings, but this was again something new to him. He felt like vomiting, not from disgust, but because his dark matter core was shifting and turning as if it were changing and trying to tamper with his emotions...”-Fuck.....OFF!-” Avrin thought towards the dark matter core, willing it with all his strength to stop. The heart shuddered at Avrin’s sudden intervention before it indeed stopped, thinking that it was helping but instead felt it had not.
Avrin paid attention to God, who was handling this situation in front of him. Avrin frowned a little. He knew many things had been answered, but more questions were arising.
“The Cycle of Reincarnation was created by me to allow Inheritors to attempt in reaching beyond creation, and nothing more. Thus, I cannot accept your request. I can, of course, reincarnate him as an Inheritor without guaranteeing his protection. But, if you truly wish to help your child, you can offer the second piece.”
Ashi felt his body quiver for a moment. He then gazed at the baby Avrin and smiled warmly. This warmth was the only new memory he shared with Falania, and he promised her in regards to Avrin. She showed him a new path that he wanted to enjoy, and he would respect her wishes. “God’s heart is heavier than creation and lighter than nothingness. God’s soul knows balance which must be met. Thus I offer my fragment....as an extra price for my sons existence...” Ashi did not feel any regret. In fact, a warm smile crept over his face as he looked at God, then at Avrin.
God also seemed to smile as he spoke. “The arrogance and ignorance of a human has come over you, but know that arrogance and ignorance is needed, for if one is never arrogant and ignorant, then one will always be arrogant and ignorant.”
Ashi did his best to remember these words. He felt an emptiness and his soul being tugged. A ghostly image of him suddenly sprang out from his body, but was connected by a line of light. From that ghostly image, which represented his soul, another ghostly image burst out. This one was as bright as existence and as unfathomable as the deepest mysteries of everything.
This featureless soul that somewhat resembled God’s featureless figure suddenly shrank down until it formed into the shape of a box, similar to the one Ashi had used to invoke the Cycle of Reincarnation. Both these boxes floated over when suddenly three more boxes appeared. The two other strange wooden boxes, shaped like miniature chests, all floated back to God before vanishing into thin air almost like a magic trick.
Ashi’s soul floated back into his body, but he seemed to age greatly, his previous handsome yet wounded appearance was now that of a withered old man. He could barely clutch baby Avrin. Ashi could only sigh, but this sigh was one that a father had when he felt he couldn't be around for his child and watch him grow. One where he wasn’t sure of his own fate.
In a moment, Baby Avrin vanished from Ashi’s hands. This made Ashi nervous and he looked around. God spoke out. “Your son is safe for now. I placed him where he will grow up safely. His fate while he lives as a human is up to him. The deal was I would only look after him in certain points of his new life and not his current. Even then, I cannot spoil him with my assistance. Thus, for the sake of the trade and to help assist him, I will set goals he may reach to earn favors. Two favors are reserved for saving his life when the only option is death, and favors until he reaches the level of a High Deity must be earned by impressing a non omniscient, omnipotent me.
Ashi knew bending the rules set by God was a great taboo, but at the very least he had given a fair trade and God had accepted it. Ashi bowed respectfully before asking: “What of me?”
God simply glanced at him and smiled softly, “You, although an Ancient Deity, are now quite brittle. The trade has nothing to do with your life, so I will place you back to where you invoked this cycle.”
Ashi was about to reply and ask a question, but he also vanished, appearing in the exact spot where Mercury had once been. He was already close to blacking out due to his injuries and, because he had a fragment of God taken away from his body, he had withered and was close to death.
The moment Ashi appeared floating limply in empty space, a shadow loomed over him. Ashi looked up to see the star Sol shining behind the back of his father. It was not a figure Ashi was happy to see, though regardless Ashi simply smiled and said. “Forgive me, father...”
The expression on the face of Ashi’s father turned sinister. “Father?.. Little scum...you will address me as King Leivos’Dei’Eltrum. As for you, you’re some piece worthless junk that will not die, but you’re going to wish you could. Billions of years, wars and bloodshed of our kin...marrying into other clans and strengthening ourselves… It’s all gone because of you...”
Avrin and God were both watching this unfold. That was, until Leivos waved his hand and a qi gate formed. He grabbed Ashi by the neck and led him in before the gate shut and they were both gone. Avrin was furious, but no matter how much he wanted to, he couldn’t muster any anger due to the seal God had placed on him.
The enormous book of pages showing these images closed again, and Avrin and God were left in silence. Though Avrin had a question. “Reincarnated because of this.... Why did you lie to me? The reason you picked me...”
God simply laughed and spoke. “Indeed, I lied. Though lying for the agreement of the deal set by God is not wrong. It didn’t hurt you, but made you stronger until today. You didn’t really think that I would pick you for such silly reasons, did you? There are many, many beings out there that deserve to be in your shoes right now, but the rules that are set up are as solid as the foundations of existence, unless a fragment of God is used as a bargaining chip, just like your father had done.”
Avrin gave a soft sigh. “Please send me back… I.need to...not be here..though i’m sure when i am ready you will answer my questions?.” Avrin felt strange, yet irritated. He wanted to calm himself down. God simply nodded. “Hmm indeed that is quite fair as the truth needs to be told. Though remember this, then. One favor has been wasted in saving your life. Ishana a god of seleria would have tracked you down and killed you, as you would be seen as an anomaly that may interfere with their plans. In the future, you will understand what I mean. One more favor to save your life, as well as one favor that does not ruin the balance of an Inheritor.”
Avrin had many questions. Though, if he had a favor from God, he would need to think carefully of it and reserve it. Avrin simply nodded. God grinned and spoke in a soft tone. “Enjoy your venting.” As these words echoed, Avrin frowned, unsure of what he meant.
It had been three months since the mysterious robed figure and Orochi had joined forces, and when these three months passed, Avrin had been summoned by God and had been away for an hour. Though the moment the hour he had been summoned away had started was the very moment a large shadow loomed over the mountain the Spectrals lived in.
“There.... I feel it...” A robed figure standing on the palm of a large dragon spoke. The dragon uttered in reply to the robed figure: “Hmm?... Hard to find and even hiding in a mountain?.... Perfect. I will blast it open and get him out.”
This was Orochi and the mysterious Spectral that had decided to make a deal with him. The robed figure was livid and had a look of excitement. He had worked nonstop on improving his Divine Sense, and with the speed of Orochi flying around while he employed it, he had improved the range while also scouring the other continents, until today. The fruits of his labor would pay off.
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“No!!... There...there are a lot!! They can be used....” The robed figure said. Orochi frowned and held back. He wanted power and he would bide his time until this figure was satisfied, then he would kill him. “Very well...” Orochi said. His earth affinity head slithered forward and his eyes began to glow.
A couple minutes before this happened, Asura was training children and teenagers. They were all trying their best to form Void Spheres. Some of these spheres looked dull and crooked, and made Asura cringe somewhat. Though he had bad memories of these spheres, he had overcome his phobia of them to improve and help this generation of Spectrals.
“No no NO! Damnit, you bunch of wimps, did you not practice at home!?” Asura frowned as he shook his head while watching the thirty or so children and teenagers complain and come up with excuses. Though suddenly, he felt a chill run up his spine. Throughout the mountain, Erebus, Kael, Eitri and many other Spectrals felt it. Each one extended their Divine Sense, and when they felt that Orochi was present over the mountain and the Spectral figure on top of him, they felt something was amiss.
Before anyone could think of anything else, the mountain suddenly shook for a moment before it was ripped up from the base, still perfectly intact. Not one bit of rubble or dust floated down, showing how powerful Orochi’s earth affinity magic was. “Hahahaha! So many!” Orochi looked across to see the shocked looks of all the Spectrals, ranging from young to old, as they were fleeing. Asura looked upward to see Orochi. He felt that this dragon was not normal. He had seen the dragons before and felt their power, but this one was too monstrous. “What...sort of creature is it…?” He muttered under his breath.
A trace of dark ash formed beside Asura and turned into the shape of a humanoid. When it had settled, Kael was revealed with a cautious expression. “One....two...three.. This.... Nine heads… It can’t be...” Kael grew nervous as a drop of sweat ran down his cheek.
Asura glanced at Kael and spoke. “You know this thing?” Kael felt his body quiver before shouting out in response. He had read books when he was still a noble and was looked down upon as a black sheep. With nothing to do, how could he not read to occupy himself a bit. “Mighty Dragon Orochi..... May I ask what brings you here?....” Kael’s voice was transmitted using his Divine Sense. The robed figure above Orochi snickered as he looked around. All he could see was one thing. “-Resources...to improve...-” He thought, then gazed at Orochi.
“All!. I want them all Alive!. If you can do this, then I’ll bestow upon you the power I have!” This robed figure’s greed seemed to escalate, as he had suddenly changed the deal from finding Avrin to taking all the Spectrals to use as resources.
Orochi, of course, was careful. He knew that they were all valuable to this man and his powers judging from his tone, and thus knew that he wouldn't devour any, as it was poison for him at this moment. He wouldn’t kill any either, as he felt it would be a waste. “Hmph....”
Orochi’s unimpressed voice soon resounded. “Apparently you’re all valuable resources… Give up and accept your fate and you all won’t die miserably.” Hearing this arrogant voice, Asura clenched his teeth and his bulging muscles tensed, his veins pushing up against his skin. “This fucker....” Asura mumbled before he roared out and jumped up from the ground towards Orochi. The force of the jump caused the ground to split and crack. Even Kael was stunned. “ASURA!” Kael shouted, but knew it was too late. Kael quickly removed a large greatsword shining with a black body and reddish edges from his back.
Asura was indeed angry. He enjoyed food immensely and preyed on animals of all sorts of shapes and sizes, some even bigger than him. Never would he think he would be looked at as a resource, especially by a dragon. This angered him greatly. Even if Orochi was stronger than him.
Asura’s claw-like hands began to glow purple and left a smoky trail while he flew up. Asura punched forward with both his arms, sending a sharp spiral wave of energy towards Orochi. Orochi was surprised by the fact that Asura dared to attack and simply laughed.
The attack collided with Orochi’s chest. Even though he budged, it didn’t scratch him at all. Orochi simply laughed, but then stopped. This was because the dark matter the attack left on his chest was trying to devour his mana. This caused a stinging pain. Orochi roared out and his mana surged forward, dispelling the dark matter and also smashing against Asura. Though his power was held back, the difference in strength was still quite enormous. Asura was slammed into the ground like a ragdoll, bouncing for a few moments before hitting a large boulder which shattered under the force of asura being hit against it.
“Insect... You-” Orochi was unable to complete his sentence, as the robed figure suddenly spoke up. “Above you!” Using his Divine Sense, the robed figure was able to detect Kael, who had used his Divine Step and was slashing towards Orochi’s nature affinity head. All of Orochi’s heads looked up before they spoke in unison. “Sneaky vermin....”
The blade of Kael’s greatsword began to emit a fiery pattern of purple. Orochi’s nature affinity head suddenly had its eyes glow before vines formed from it’s neck and shot up to meet Kael’s weapon.
“Disperse!” Kael roared out in anger as the greatsword collided with one of the vines. The vine was split for a moment before the blade was unable to go any further. The difference between a Grandmaster and a New Deity was truly too laughable. One could even say it was commendable.
Kael was able to damage a vine formed by the magic of a New Deity, which is actually quite the achievement. Again, the dark matter formed around the blade was the issue. It began to devour the vine. Even when Kael was hit countless times by the other vines and coughed out blood, his limbs being bound, it continued. Such hits had easily knocked him out, with only his regrets of not being strong enough to fight back lingering.
The burning dark matter that appeared like a flame was shooting down the vines and gaining a deeper color. Orochi frowned before he channeled his mana through the vine to disperse the dark matter.
“This damn Dark magic you all have.... Regardless, that’s two down.... Who's next?” Orochi frowned again. He felt as if ants were picking a fight with him individually and biting at his skin. It made him shudder a bit.
“Great Dragon, what has my kind done to have wronged you?” A man appeared adorned in a black robe with a staff in hand. The hood of the robe was down, revealing his face. It was Erebus, with Eitri cautiously standing by his side.
“Wronged? Who said I need to be wronged to do as as I please and gain power? You’re all simply useable resources, regardless if I know you or not.” As Orochi spoke these words, Eitri’s expression flickered. “Such an evil beast...” He spoke.
Watching this all unfold from the heavens above Seleria was Septim, looked down at the water that acted as a screen. Septim snickered before he opened his palm. A white ball of light began to form. “Building a bridge of friendship has never been so easy.” Septim was about to intervene and stop Orochi, though as he was about to unleash his attack, he felt a sudden presence. He quickly turned and glared at the figure there. “You… What do you want?...” Septim clearly was annoyed at the appearance of this individual.
“Hahaha. Brother in law, I should be asking you the same question. I don’t remember these so called beings. Just who are they? Strange, very strange indeed. You seemed ready to smite Orochi down. It is easy to tell you value these people.... Interesting.... Maybe I need to make note of this.” This was the scheming Zephiron, who glanced over at Septim with a snicker. One could see he enjoyed causing trouble for others.
Septim clenched his teeth. He felt his heart skip a beat. If their lord found out about these people it would cause more trouble than good for him, and he may even lose his life let alone his ranking for hiding this. “Hmph...” Septim uttered before he waved his hand.
The magic he had placed to block sight of the northern half of Seleria had strengthened suddenly. He truly did not want the other gods to see this. There were two observing pools, one in the main hall that he knew no one was using, and the other was in his chambers. The only other way to make a connection was to see with one’s own eyes, and the other was to establish a ritual connection with an object or mortal.
Though the gods have been present for many years, most had grown bored and used to the strife and turmoil of mortals, so it had gotten commonplace to know Orochi was rampaging without having to view it. He had thought he struck gold when he felt none of the gods found his seal over the northern half strange. This was because they all took their own experiments and as long as one didn’t bother the other, they wouldn’t inquire. Though Zephiron’s nosey self had indeed caused anger in Septim.
“What do you want?” Septim frowned as he spoke. Zephiron laughed and began to stroke the stub of a beard while thinking. “I heard from a little bird that brother in law is keeping a very, very, very rare treasure known as God Essence. I’m sure you’re going to make a sturdy reputational profit when you hand it in to our lord.... I want 50% of the credit.”
Septim’s face paled. At this moment, he seemed to have forgotten Orochi, because God Essence was a very touchy, interesting subject. He focused on Zephiron’s scheming ways and how he knew of what he had.
Meanwhile, back on Seleria, four vines were currently held up near Orochi, dangling around his nature affinity head like a necklace. At the end of each vine was a bloody, unconscious figure. These were Erebus, Asura, Kael and Eitri. Having not reached a state where they can fight dragons, they were too weak to counter the attack.
The robed figure rubbed his hands together as Orochi landed on the ground, causing the dust of the mountainous area to blow away. The figure jumped onto the ground before he gave a greedy laugh. “Finally.... More strength...” He spoke under his breath. He walked over, knowing that the other Spectral’s had all gone through an underground chamber of sorts and were hiding with nowhere to go. The robed figure formed Nebula Mist that was nearing Asura who, of course, seemed to be the strongest.
But the vine holding Asura suddenly rose, moving him away from the robed figure’s reache. “Orochi, what is the meaning of this?” Looking at Orochi’s nine heads, none seemed impressed.
“keep your end of the deal. I want the power you’re offering.” The figure frowned and clenched his teeth. “That.... Well....”
Orochi could see the man was hesitant. This caused a built up rage to rear it’s head. “Having second thoughts? Then how about this. I’ll kill one of these so called “resources” of yours until you change your mind!!!”
The vine holding Kael went down and laid his limp body onto the ground. Orochi raised his right leg and was about to crush him into a paste of meat, though the robed figure had no real care for Kael. He was still hesitant in helping Orochi.
“Well?” Orochi spoke. The robed man paled a bit and replied. “This.... Well, we haven’t captured them all. The deal was to take them all for me....” Orochi’s nine heads all hissed at once before his large right leg went smashing down toward Kael.
But at that point, Orochi suddenly shivered and stopped. Even the robed man was frozen still. They both glanced around, feeling as if they were being watched. The air around suddenly felt odd. Small, snowflake specks of purple light began to appear, floating in mid air.
Little did they know that this was part of a unique Divine Sense reserved only for powerful spectrals, and the user of this one just so happened to be Avrin, who had awoken at that moment with his eyes opened deathly still. His unique Divine Sense was so powerful that he was not able to hold it back just yet. This meant that it had formed specks of dark matter just by expanding out.
He first glanced over at the robed figure, who he felt was the Spectral from long ago that he had felt around Altea. He then looked at Orochi, feeling his strength. He turned to the ripped away mountain and saw the Spectrals hiding underground in fear. He spotted the unconscious bodies of the four pure bloods.
Avrin had many questions he wanted to ask God, but before he could, he just needed some time to take the current amount of information in. Though the moment he felt Orochi and the robed Spectral, including the unconscious states of the purebloods, he had pushed his thoughts aside, and soon said in a voice that seemed to resonate within his Divine Sense, echoing across in the ears of everybody within.
“A little practice, and a meal... I feel spoiled.”
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(A.N) Avrin of course could have stayed and asked god in regards to everything, but it was truly one of the very rare moments that he was unsure of what to do, and decided to take a little time off to absorb what he currently knows, with the fact that god still needs to keep his end of the trade and make sure Avrin knows the truth of it all, the timing in avrin knowing that his people were being attacked was pure coincidence.
This chapter im sure may not be as good as 127 since i had to work my mind and rewrite that a few times to convey the emotions, but that isnt to say i haven't tried with this, sometimes set ups and information is needed, this is unavoidable. a story that wants to be in depth will have to branch out and add moments like these whether the readers find it good or bad, it helps with the expansion of the story.
now then off to write 129 and fix quite a few errors in previous chapters [th_096_K.gif]
Avrin's Inner Workings Status
Dark Stage Control ParticlesType 11100%Dark Stage ParticlesType 11100%Skymetal WeaponsAstaroth-ScytheLimos-Vajra